1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an impact tool, and more specifically to an impact tool having a vibration control mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, electrical power tools having vibration control mechanisms have been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-299036 discloses an electrical power tool including a casing that has a handle, a motor housing, and a gear housing connected with one another. An electrical motor is accommodated in the motor housing. The gear housing has a motion conversion housing, a vibration control housing, and an impact housing. A motion conversion mechanism that converts a rotation motion of the electrical motor into a reciprocation motion is provided in the motion conversion housing. A cylinder extending a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the electrical motor is provided in the impact housing. A tool support portion is provided on the front side of the cylinder and is capable of attaching or detaching a working tool.
A piston is provided in the cylinder and is slidably provided along the inner periphery of the cylinder. The piston reciprocates along the inner periphery of the cylinder by the motion conversion mechanism. A striking member is provided in the front section of the cylinder and is slidably provided along the inner periphery of the cylinder. An air chamber is formed in the cylinder between the piston and the striking member. An intermediate member is provided in the front side of the striking member and is slidably provided back-and-forth within the cylinder. The working tool mentioned above is positioned at the front side of the intermediate element.
The vibration control housing is provided on the side of the impact housing and communicates with the impact housing by way of an air channel. A space formed by the piston, the cylinder, the impact housing, the counterweight, and the vibration control housing is formed as a sealed space. A counterweight and two springs are provided in the vibration control housing. The counterweight is capable of moving a reciprocation motion parallel to the reciprocation motion of the piston. The two springs are positioned at the ends of the counterweight.
The rotational driving force of the electrical motor is transmitted to the motion conversion mechanism, and the motion conversion mechanism moves the piston in the cylinder in the reciprocation motion. The reciprocation motion of the piston repeatedly increases and decreases the pressure of the air in the air chamber, thereby applying an impact force to the striking member. The striking member moves forward and collides with the rear end of the intermediate member, thereby applying the impact force to the working tool. The workpiece is fractured by the impact force applied to the working tool.
During the operation of the electrical power tool, when the piston moves forward, the counterweight moves rearward because the space formed by the piston, the cylinder, the impact housing, the counterweight, and the vibration control housing is a sealed space. Conversely, when the piston moves rearward, the counterweight moves forward. Thus, in this structure, the counterweight reciprocates in conjunction with the reciprocation motion of the piston.
However, in the electrical power tool described above, when the counterweight vibrates, the friction between the two springs and the vibration control housing prevents the counterweight from vibrating efficiently. Thus, the vibration caused by the striking member cannot be reduced efficiently. The vibration control housing is provided on the side of the impact housing, the electrical power tool, thereby leading to as increased size in the electrical power tool.